Police step up patrols after Catshill burglaries

POLICE are stepping up uniformed and non-uniformed patrols in Catshill after the village was hit by three burglaries in less than five days.

More than £1,000 worth of damage was caused during the first one, which happened at some point between at 8am last Thursday (February 13) and 3pm on Monday (February 17).

After attempting to force the front door at the home on Golden Cross Lane, the thieves gained access to the house by smashing glass in the back door.

A Medion silver laptop with a black keyboard in a material carrier bag, which was worth £500, and a men’s plain silver ring, worth £250, were taken in the incident.

In the second one - which happened between 6.30am and 9pm last Friday (February 14) in Oak Apple Road - the raiders smashed glass in a back door to gain access to the property.

They then escaped with an iPad 4 in a purple faux suede cover, a gold bracelet, a white gold bracelet, a white gold necklace, a gold charm bracelet with a teddy bear charm on it and a silver Guess watch. A gold crucifix and gold St Christopher were also among the haul.

And in the third, at a home in Acorn Road, was targeted between 4pm last Friday (February 14) and 11.15am on Sunday (February 16).

The thieves forced the back sliding door and an iPod Classic in grey was taken, along with a Gear sound dock which was described as being splattered with white paint.

The police are linking all three burglaries, door to door enquiries have been carried out and officers are currently examining CCTV footage from the area.

Residents have been urged to review their security measures and improve them if needed. They have also been urged to keep valuable items - such as computers and jewellery out of sight of windows. Burglary prevention advice is available at www.westmercia.police.uk - the force’s website.

Any witnesses or anyone with any information should call 101 - DC Lazenby for the Oak Apple Road and Acorn Road ones and DC Tony Flannagan for the Golden Cross Lane burglary.

Those with information can also call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org - the organisation’s website.